Heads
by Iwannacookie1110
Summary: "Heads and Tails" are two joint stories that can be read together or separate. Although there will be certain details in one story that will explain things in the other. The whole point of these stories is to have the side of the protagonist and the side of the antagonist so you can decide which one to read or to side with. Please enjoy my story.
1. Chapter 1

Purplelilly yawns, stretching out her yellow limbs and fluttering her purple eyes open. She gets up and runs a tongue in a quick wash over her yellow pelt. The moss lined den had been a wonderful sleeping place as usual. She pads over to the other side of the den and prods a smaller orange and black cat in the side.

"Tigerpaw, up you get." She purrs. Purplelilly had always been fascinated by Tigerpaw, he looks just like one of the Tigerclan warriors from before Starclan, even as a kit it was obvious he would be just as strong as them. Yet he chose to be a medicine cat.

Tigerpaw mumbles something incoherently and manages to sit up, although sleep still hung in his eyes. She smiles at him and brushes her tail on his shoulder encouragingly before turning away. Purplelilly walks into the main part of the den and sees to Walkingpaw, who was laying in one of the moss nests.

"You look good." She purrs at the small, silver apprentice. "You can return to your apprentice duties today. I'm sure Boltclaw will be happy to have you back for training."

"Thanks Purplelilly!" He mews, dashing from the den instantly.

Purplelilly runs to the end of her cave and calls after him. "And don't get in anymore fights with bramble thickets!"

A few of the warriors milling around laugh and Purplelilly turns to find Tigerpaw awake and waiting for her in the den.

"Good youre awake." She purrs to him, "We need to-"

"Purplelilly!?" The sudden voice calls behind her. The brown queen, Pinenose, stands in the entrance to the cave. "Marshkit has been coughing since she woke up."

"Ok." Purplelilly calls back. "We'll be there momentarily." Pinenose slips away and Purplelilly turns to Tigerpaw. "What do you think we should do?"

Tigerpaw pauses for a second before giving his answer. "Bring some water in moss?"

"Good but Pinenose said she'd been coughing for a while. Surely she would have tried water already so?"

"So she might have a scratched throat so... Honey?"

"Good, grab some." Tigerpaw slips into the storage place and Purplelilly calls after him. "You forgot one thing though."

Tigerpaw pads out, holding a wrapped up leaf in his teeth. "What?"

"Its almost leafbare."

"It could be greencough!" He gasps, almost dropping the leaf.

Purplelilly nods and sets off towards the nursery with Tigerpaw behind her. "So we'll have to check her body heat while we're there."

They slide into the nursery and walk over to Pinenose who gives them a relieved look. They walk over and Purplelilly sits to the side, flicking her tail for Tigerpaw to handle it. He paces over and, dropping the leaf, sniffs Marshkit's little brown body. She coughs a few times and Tigerpaw looks her over then touches his nose to her fur.

"Normal body heat." He mutters, looking at Purplelilly who gives him an encouraging look. He then picks up the leaf and lays it, open in front of Marshkit to reveal a sticky yellow substance.

"Does your throat hurt?" Purplelilly pipes up.

Tigerpaw seems to flinch, knowing he forgot something as Marshkit nods her little head.

"Try this." Tigerpaw purrs, flicking the honey.

Marshkit dips her head and laps up the honey before purring. "Thats much better."

Tigerpaw opens his mouth to respond when a yowl splits the air from outside.

"All those old enough to fight for their clan gather beneath the hightree for a clan meeting!"

Purplelilly stands up and leaves the nursery with Tigerpaw and they sit outside to look at the hightree. The hightree is a giant tree at the edge of the camp that's branches have grown so wild they make an easy way up to a platform where their leader currently stands. Their leader, Cursestarge black she covered in scars. She has 3 scars across her back, 1 on her foreleg, a nicked ear, and, the most prominent, 3 on her forehead that stop at her blazing blue eyes.

As all cats slide into the clearing she steps forwards and calls out. "Walkingpaw, Ladypaw. Will you come forwards."

The silver and gray apprentices bound forwards in excitement as the leader works her way down to the ground. She stands and lifts her head. "I Cursestar, leader of Venomclan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of you nobel code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

She looks at the gray she. "Ladypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do!" She purrs.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Ladypaw, from this moment you will be known as Ladybark. Starclan honors your courage and loyalty and we welcome you as a full warrior of Venomclan."

Cursestar steps forwards and settles her muzzle on Ladybark's head and she licks her leader's shoulder. She then steps back and looks at the silver apprentice.

"Walkingpaw do you promise to uphold the warrior code and protect and defend your clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do." He says.

"Then by the powers of Starclan, I give you your warrior name. Walkingpaw from this moment you will be known as Walkingtree. Starclan honors your courage and speed, and we welcome you as a full warrior of Venomclan."

She steps forwards again and settles her muzzle on Walkingtree's head and he licks his leaders shoulder. Then she steps back and the cries went up from the camp.

"Walkingtree! Ladybark!" They call. Tigerpaw calls from beside Purplelilly but she can't manage to call. Her mind is elsewhere as her apprentice gets up to go congratulate the new warriors. She goes up and starts out of camp, getting to the entrance before someone calls to her.

"Where are you going Purplelilly?"

"Just to collect some herbs Pumpkinstem."

"Need some help?"

"No Ill be fine." Purplelilly slips out of camp and scampers through the woods, over the scent border, and over to an abandoned badger set. The scent of badger floods her nostrils causing her to almost choke but she bends down to call into the den. "Shadowpaw!" She calls. There was no response from the den so she calls again. "Shadowpaw!" Suddenly two brilliant yellow eyes shine from the den and a sleek black she steps out.

"Morning mom." The black she mews.


	2. Chapter 2

"Good morning Shadowpaw!" Purplelilly mews back happily. "It's been a while. How are you?"

"Im fine." She purrs, flicking her tail. "I've missed you."

"Oh i've missed you to my kit." Purplelilly purrs, stepping forwards to rub cheeks with her daughter.

"Why don't you visit that often anymore?" Shadowpaw mews curiously.

Purplelilly's tail droops and she sighs sympathetically. "You know why." She purrs. "I have a duty to my clan."

Sadness flashes through Shadowpaw's eyes and a thought obviously crosses her mind but she responds simply. "I know."

"Im sorry hon." Purplelilly mews, wanting to make her feel better.

Shadowpaw flicks her tail, jostling the leaves around her.

"But thats why i'm here." The yellow she mews.

"Your clan?" Shadowpaw asks.

"Kinda. There was a warrior ceremony today." Shadowpaw flattens her ears slightly so Purplelilly quickly continued. "Well we can't keep calling you Shadowpaw, thats an apprentices name and you're strong as any warrior."

"Am I?" Shadowpaw asks, ears pricked in curiosity and confusion.

"Probably stronger." Purplelilly mews, looking over her kit. "I mean look at you." Her eyes land on her daughter's shoulder, crusted with blood. "What happened!" She gasps.

Shadowpaw looks at her shoulder and flicks the thought away nonchalantly. "I fell from a tree while chasing a squirrel."

Purplelilly's mind races, "Does she think shes a squirrel as well or maybe a bird!"

"Its no big deal." Shadowpaw asures, seeing her mothers panic. "Im fine really."

"Did you at least get to eat?" She asks.

"Of course." The black she assures.

"Alright thats good." Purplelilly sighs. "Well then, about that warrior name."

Purplelilly stands up and Shadowpaw stands with her. "Shadowpaw." Purplelilly purrs, "do you promise to uphold your moral code and protect and defend your moral code and protect and defend your life at all costs?"

"Y-yeah." She stutters nervously.

"Then by the powers of starclan I give you your warrior name. Shadowpaw, from this moment you will be known as Shadowwing. Starclan honors your determination and your independence."

Shadowwing smiles and purrs,"so Im called Shadowwing now?"

"Yes." Purplelilly purrs back. "That is your new warrior name."

"Can I rest now. This has been an exciting day."

"Oh no. You must stay awake and silent through the night."

"What!" She yelps.

"I know hon. Its strange to you but this is how its done in the clans."

"Does that mean I'll be able to join the clan with you soon?"

Purplelilly freezes, was her daughter really thinking about this? She has to admit she has been thinking about it as well. Its a wonderful idea, even if she can't let them know Shadowing is her daughter.

"Soon." She purrs.

Shadowwings ears perk up and she smiles silently before getting up and going to sit by her den as if on guard in an actual vigil.

She smiles at her daughter, "Ill come and be sure you get some rest tomorrow morning."

Purplelilly pads off with pride, picking some poppy on the way and slipping into camp and padding into her den. She drops the poppy in her storage and, feeling suddenly exhausted, lays down for a nap. She sleeps for a couple hours, waking up when a familiar mew rings from the entrance.

"Purplelilly?" Tigerpaw mews. "Ratwhisker's coughing. I gave him honey but it didn't stop."

Purplelilly gets up and follows Tigerpaw to the warrior den but they slip in to find it empty.

"Where did that mouse brain get off to?" Purplelilly sighs only to spot the black warrior with a grey tail heading to the entrance with Rainbowflake, Darkring, and Iceclaw. Purplelilly thinks for a moment that he might be ok till she sees him pause as his body is racked with coughs.

"Ratwhisker! Where do you think you're going!"

The group of warriors pause as she and Tigerpaw trot over to them. "On a patrol. something wrong Purplelilly?" Ratwhisker asks. She opens her jaw to respond only to be interrupted by more coughing from the tom.

"The only place you're going is to my den so I can look you over. Sorry Iceclaw you'll have to find some other cat to come with you."

"No problem." The white-blue she purrs. 'Rainbowflake, looks like we'll need your apprentice after all, go fetch Splayedpaw.

The gold tabby skips over to the apprentice den and Purplelilly walks Ratwhisker over to the medicine den with Tigerpaw. They sit him in one of the nests and Purplelilly sniffs at his pelt.

"So you already got some honey?" Purplelilly asks.

"Yes" Ratwhisker purrs.

She pushes her nose into his pelt and pauses, hes hot, very hot. "Does your throat hurt?"

"No, its more my chest but-" He stops, cut off by another fit of coughing. Purplelilly quickly puts her ear against his chest to listen to the coughing and reals back.

"What's wrong Purplelilly?" Tigerpaw asks, concern playing on his face.

"Its green cough." She mews. "He has green cough."

Fear radiates off Tigerpaw's pelt as he looks at Purplelilly with worry. "What do we do?"

"Give Ratwhisker some catmint and then tell Cursestar, I'll go search for more."

Purplelilly leaves the den, calling over her shoulder for Ratwhisker to rest then heading out of camp. She streaks across the territory to the large bramble thicket where she knows catmint hides. She scrambles under it, thorns scratching at her pelt only to find much less of it than what she originally thought was there. She sighs, picking what was there and slipping out to find herself not in the forest. She panics at first then sees the starry warriors wreathing around her.

_They know where more catmint is. _She thinks as a gray-blue she steps forwards. Purplelilly recognises the she as Puddleshine, former deputy of Venomclan.

"We know." Puddleshine growls, causing Purplelilly to flinch in confusion.

"Know what?"

"About your kit."


End file.
